Oh for the Love of Batman!
by Humbly Interpreting
Summary: Various stories that take my attention from schoolwork :  Mainly these are centered around relationships between characters and how they aren't always what they seem but still the same.
1. A Tale of Two Sons

"You know I envy you?" He winced as he inched himself further up the cement wall behind him.

The usual joking manner wasn't there despite his tone. The younger of the two would get his point because he was smart. He looked across from him and saw a face similar to his own, masked in a black cowl with eyes concealed and mouth set in determination to move.

"_You_ envy _me_? **Why**?" The younger man asks incredulously as he leans forward to relieve the tension in his back.

"Aside from the less lame Robin outfit? Lots of reasons."

Dick Grayson grinned as he spit blood off to the side. He groaned and pushed his feet under him to use the wall to balance and stand. It had been a rough night and it wasn't getting any better.

"I remember feeling betrayed when he brought Jason in. It was fast and I hadn't been gone long. Here was this smartass twerp trying to not only take my position but also claiming he'd do better. I know now he was big talk to cover up some fear but it didn't matter at the time."

"What does envying me have to do with Jason?" Tim held his side as he shoved a shoulder into the wall and pushed up to stand beside his partner and adoptive brother.

"I've always been the one…I always prided myself in knowing Batman better than anyone. Even himself sometimes. I didn't like the idea of someone else being able to say that. Jason was just potentially a threat to my ego but….you're the realization."

Dick sighed as he tore off his tattered cape and tossed it aside in the alley. He still hated the damn thing but it felt worse not having it. It was part of the whole spectacle.

Tim was caught off guard for a moment and with his injuries and everything that had happened even he needed a moment to slump back against the cool, eerily comforting, bricks of the walls surrounding them in the dark.

"You think I know him better?"

"No, I think you know him _as well_. But I do think you…_understand_ him better." Dick huffed as he rolled his elbows then his shoulders. He needed to work some of the kinks out.

"Because we're both such great conversationalists and love sharing our emotions?" Tim breathed as he wiped blood from his lip and inspected a tear in his costume on his upper arm.

"Exactly." Dick grinned and clapped the younger on the shoulder. "I'm the weirdo talkative one. I stick out like a sore thumb."

"You're a carnie what do you expect?" Tim teased as he moved to retrieve his staff.

"I'm just saying it's hard to realize you're not the only one who changes. I didn't just grow up and leave. Everything changed, so did he. I can't want something new but stick to the old."

"You can't want respect and not give it right?" Tim added.

"Hey, I've always respected you. That was never a problem."

"Yeah, that's how we got into all this mess." Tim looked around at all the garbage and the busted up dumpster.

"You know you're going to be the one to explain to Alfred what happened to my cape right? He finally had it just right and you trashed it."

"Oh no, you're going to explain to him why we're all beat up but all was quiet tonight."

"All was quiet?" Dick questioned amusedly.

"Its all relative." Tim replied. "Now about Alfred…"

"Last one there does it." Dick grinned as he signaled for the Batmobile to pick him up.

"You're on." Tim pressed a button on his belt to call for his bike.

"Would it even be worth coming up with a cover story?" Tim thought aloud a second later.

"What do you think?"

They both shook their heads and disregarded the idea. Alfred would know or at least surmise what had happened. Two brothers who loved and cared about each other who had been under intense stress and overwhelmed by grief had simply beat the crap out of each other.

As the vehicles hummed in arrival both men looked at each other. Tim looked at his bike as Dick looked above to the sky. It had been a long night for both of them. Even the closest of friends, the dearest of people had some falling-outs. Dick and Tim had just had enough and needed to vent. Their methods hadn't been exactly genius but it was in the heat of the moment.

"It isn't really a secret I've always envied you. We've talked about this before. You were the first, the original, the ideal. I use to get this sick sense of relief that I hadn't come right after you. Sure, it was tough coming after Jason with all the strain and guilt Batman felt but that was nothing compared to what Jason dealt with. It was years ago but like you said it didn't matter then. How I felt then is how I felt."

"Good therapy session, Red Robin, good session." Dick, current Batman and original Robin/Nightwing moved towards his car.

"But I wasn't the ideal. I was just the first one involved. In some ways I think you're more the ideal than I ever was. I had my own opinions on how things should be done."

"And I don't?" Tim interrupted.

"You know what I mean. You two saw eye to eye more. I was who I was and he is…you know." Dick gritted his teeth. He wasn't delusional, Bruce Wayne was dead, but he and Tim disagreed on that and they had already had it out once tonight.

"Yeah you're _so _different **Batman**." Tim grinned as he swung a leg over his bike and sat down.

"Yeah." Dick had to laugh at that. "We are."


	2. Misplaced Desire

Wanted You More…

"I guess I know what went wrong now." Dick murmured. "Mass communication failures. This is a good one. How often is it the guy is the one who is ignored. Oh, wait, always."

"What?" Barbara wide eyed. "You're the one who didn't wait five minutes to get all the information before buzzing here in civies."

"This." He motioned between them as he paced, as always, unable to stand still. "Isn't what I meant."

"What are you talking about?"

"I thought-you know what, nevermind." He held his hands up and let his head fall.

"You're turning this into something about _us _aren't you?" She asked again, dumbfounded.

"Are you **kidding** me?" He growled. "That's what-" He paused and collected himself before continuing with a new tactic. "No I'm not. What did you need?"

It had been three weeks since they had seen each other. He had assumed they were "interested" in each other again and she would want to see him when he had time to come back to Gotham but apparently he was wrong. She had called but he had taken it as a social call not a professional one and he hadn't given her time to explain such before hopping on his bike and tearing down the highway towards Gotham City.

He had made an assumption, something that one should never do, especially considering what his line of work was in both of his lives. Being the first protégé of the Batman he supposed he should have known better than to do something stupid. Unfortunately, those blasted emotions got in the way every now and then still. He also supposed he should take care of that. Dick Grayson's thoughts continued to get consistently more bitter as he watched Barbara do everything in her power to avoid eye contact and practically ignore his presence.

"I thought you'd want to see me." He murmured, more to himself. His anger always seemed to dissipate quickly when he was around her but even that was infuriating tonight.

Here, he was, wanting to sweep her off her feet and share a few hours with her and she threw him in the backseat like a child. And that was when he realized exactly what was going on.

"You called me not the other way around." He thought aloud after moments of nothing but computer clicks and beeps.

"You wanted Nightwing not me." He added.

Once again, that should have been obvious considering it seemed he always called for visits because of his schedule. Wanting more than anything to not feel as stupid and angry as he did then he prepared to compose himself. Years of training had separated Dick Grayson from the man who had grown from Robin into Nightwing. Where Bruce was the cover for Batman, Dick felt a less obvious distinction between his lives. He didn't use Nightwing as a mask to display his true self as Bruce did but as an extension. Nightwing was the more extreme persona that kept Dick Grayson (Wayne) safe, despite what some others may think he was _not _capable of completely cutting any one piece of himself off. He could repress things rather well though.

"Okay then, sorry, momentary slip of identities. Give me a sec." He turned and pulled a domino mask from his motorcycle jacket's pocket and secured it in place.

"What do you need, _Oracle_?" He emphasized the name to further enunciate the idea of Dick Grayson checking out and Nightwing checking in. He was fine and Ba-Oracle would just have to take his performance as proof for it.

Generally, Barbara Gordon herself initiated such a tactic as avoidance and subtle subject deferring but something sunk in her stomach. She rubbed at her temples to stall for a moment's time to go over the best way to go about all this mess. It had been a long night and her first instinct to signal Nightwing for help had clearly been a bad one. Barbara hadn't given him any specifics and hadn't used her Oracle insignia either so it wasn't surprising that he had shown up at night in civies.

"Batman is busy with an ongoing investigation at Arkham Asylum and Joker, but something's come up that is a little bit more of a threat than Robin can handle."

Without the usual banter or any sign of a response Barbara warily continued her briefing. She spun her chair around to face Nightwing. He had been leaning away but focused one the screens that surrounded her while quickly completing the change from Dick Grayson, Bludhaven cop to Nightwing the Hero.

"With all the commotion with Joker and Arkham, Catwoman has her hands full with a hysterical Harley Quinn and-"

With that Nightwing backed away from the computers and set up his communication link with Robin: Tim Drake. With Harley "hysterical" that meant she was going on thieving binges and blowing parts of the city up just for fun. If Selina Kyle couldn't keep her friend under control that usually meant Batman stepped in. Too bad Gotham would have to settle for Nightwing and Robin.

"Nightwing to Robin." He tapped into the comm, swinging one leg out of Oracle's window.

"Robin here. You coming?"

"On my way. Your location? Situation?"

"Redlight district. Harley's just goofing around but she has a lot of firepower so I need to dissipate the local crowds quickly before she decides to do something crazy….er….you know what I mean."

There it was, a small smile on Nightwing's face. Lately, it had gotten harder and harder to catch Dick smiling or goofing around while in his alter ego's skin. Perhaps he was becoming even more like Bruce and perhaps Barbara could be held responsible for some of that. He was usually good about still being Dick even though he was in Nightwing's garb. Something was going on with him and eventually she would be able to figure out what it was.

"Gotcha. Coming." He turned to nod towards Oracle and leapt out the window and spun to land on a dumpster before letting a grappling line loose and soaring into the sky towards the moon.

"I did want Nightwing but…." She sighed as she spun back to her monitors and began routing information to Robin while tapping into the few security cameras mounted outside convenience stores in the area. A quick glimpse of Nightwing running and flipping onto another building caught her eye. "But I want to Dick Grayson when you get back."


	3. From One Robin to Another

From One Robin to Another

"You little hellion!" Tim Drake barreled into the Bat cave and focused on Bruce Wayne's only _biological_ son.

"I will not presume to know what is wrong with you Drake so you'll have to attempt intelligent thought and speak competently. I know that may be hard but try." Damian grumbled as he performed a more advanced search on the next criminal listed alphabetically in his father's roster.

"You know very well what I'm talking about you hell spawn!" Tim threw an old Robin costume at Damian and huffed, turning his focus on Dick and expecting some form of intervention.

"Damian?" Dick questioned as he looked at the destroyed Robin costume in the boy's lap.

"A mere misconception on Drake's part. I did nothing to his Vegas showgirl attire." Damian held the tunic and cape like it was covered in toxic waste and dropped it to the floor.

While Tim felt anger flare up inside him again, Damian grinned while typing additional information into the computer files. Dick moved to pick up the uniform and look at it closely as if he was in another time zone or dimension.

"Damian." Dick sighed in exhaustion.

"If you must insist, Grayson, I will offer the best apology I can to the false son." Damian offered a moment afterward.

"You little troll that's not enough!" Tim barked back, pointing a finger in the youngest boy's face. "It doesn't fix it! Do you know what you even did?"

Upon the question Damian looked violently away from Timothy and to his mentor and brother, if not father, figure. The look on Dick Grayson's face was haunting. Something about this particular Robin ensemble was different than the others. He had known variations of Robin costumes had come from the original design of Grayson's first tunic and cape. Some other Robins had even worn duplicates upon their uptake of the mantle, such as Jason Todd, the second Robin. However, this response to Damian's arguably harmless prank sent a dark chill down his spine and a tightness into his stomach.

"You ruined it! You can't mend it or remove the stains. It was a gift and what's worse it was Dick's! He gave it to me a few Christmases ago and told me not to get anything on it. Ironic that you got your grubby little hands on it and did just that. Were you trying to make me look back or just be a jerk?" Tim scoffed as he moved away from Damian to stand by Dick.

"I'm so sorry, Dick." Tim offered as he laid a gentle hand on his older partner and brother's shoulder.

"Its….okay. You didn't mean for anything to happen to it." Dick bunched the uniform in his hands and rested them against the console as he looked over the screen at the information Damian plugged in.

"Dick…" Tim added helplessly.

"No, I'll take care of it Tim. I know what it meant to you." Dick gave a weak half smile and nodded.

Tim understood the gesture and let his shoulders sink with the weight of it. He turned to return upstairs to seek Alfred's help in possibly helping the hopeless cause that was the original Robin costume. With one last dark look passed to Damian, Tim took the stairs two at a time.

"Priss." Damian grumbled as he looked back to his screen then Dick, the current Batman.

"Actually, he doesn't normally get that upset over that sort of thing…" Dick sighed again, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Okay, so he does, but this _is_ different, Damian."

It was clear Dick wanted to reprimand Damian but smoothly and gently. Dick didn't want to guilt trip the kid until he felt as worthless as any Robin could feel to his Batman. Dick, however, did want to breach the immensity of the consequences of what Damian had done.

"This was your costume?" Damian asked before Dick could start.

Damian had scooted close and grabbed the tattered yellow cape in one hand. He rubbed it between his fingers as if assessing its value before looking up into Dick's tired face that seemed to hide his sadness. Damian had in fact ruined something very special to not only the ever annoying Drake, but his highly esteemed older brother, Grayson. The look Grayson gave the old ratty costume made everything pretty clear.

"Yes, my first one. I wore it until I grew out of it and it's the one Jason wore after me. Its also a gift I gave Tim since he….nevermind. Yes, it was mine."

"So….you are angry because it was Jason's emblem?"

"One of the reasons, yes."

"And it was a gift to….to Drake?" Damian struggled with the words, projecting meaning that wasn't necessarily there. The idea that Dick would give Tim something so precious to him with such trust was aggravating. Tim was no longer Dick's favorite brother was he?

"Yes…but it was a gift to me as well."

"My father gave it to you?"

"In a way." Dick shrugged, uncomfortable and clearly trying to dispel the topic.

"Speak plainly, Grayson!" Damian blurted, sitting on his knees and leaning towards Dick.

"Bruce did give me the costume but it was made from my old Flying Graysons get up. My name came from the nickname my mother always used. I was her little spring Robin. She sowed it herself but my dad had been the one to design the original unitard and colors."

Dick smiled down at the uniform that had been turned into a rag. He ran a gentle hand over the old "R" emblem. "So…Robin was a gift from all my parents."

Damian had never felt so small and being ten one could suppose that was an accomplishment, that is if the ten-year-old wasn't the son of an assassin and the greatest detective in the world. Not to mention Damian had been trained since his toddler years to fight and kill amongst many other things.

"My apologies, Grayson." He muttered quietly, head hanging low. "I didn't mean to…" His voice trailed off once he realized the futility of his words. Timothy Drake had been right for once, simply apologizing did not make any of this better.

"Damian…I understand what you were trying to do." Dick sucked in a deep breath of air and smiled down at his own young protégé. "You were just being a kid. You wanted to mess with Tim and I get that. You ended up doing something you hadn't meant to and I understand that too. Just….take this as a learning experience, okay?" He offered a brighter smile that met his eyes but they were teary ones as he rested a hand on Damian's shoulder.

"I'll see you upstairs for dinner in an hour." Dick concluded as he turned and headed up the stairs.

Hours Later….

Dick slumped up the stairs in exhaustion. It had been a long evening and an even longer night. He couldn't wait to just fall into bed and sleep half the day away. He swung his door open without even bothering to turn on the lights and fell onto bed. When his face met silky fabric he rolled over and blindly fondled for the silken shadow.

"What the…?" He reached out to turn on the bedside lamp and focused his tired eyes to see a newly mended Robin costume with far better embroidery than his mother or even Alfred had used.

_Damian._

A smile came to Dick's face as he sat up and held the uniform in his lap. Tears sprang to his eyes as he noted the care with which the tunic and cape as well as the green unitard had been reformed to its original shape and likeness. A small piece of folded paper tumbled down from under the cape. Dick grabbed for it and laid the cloak of his youth at his side as he read.

_Dear Grayson,_

_ Due to my unfortunate act of trickery I unintentionally ruined your heirloom. You should note that I have restored it to its former, if not relative, glory. Pennyworth was at a loss and Drake was too simple minded to do what was required to restore it to you. Perhaps Drake will better secure your future gifts or you will be more conscious as to who you give to. I would not have been so careless as to have left it within a simple gift box in my closet I will have you know._

_ -D. Wayne_

"Thanks Damian." Dick smiled as he stashed the note and folded his childish garb for storage in his own closet. He flopped back onto the bed and burrowed beneath the blankets while drifting to sleep. For the first time in a couple of weeks he had a fond dream of his mother sowing the uniforms they would fly together in, even if it would be the first and last time. The nightmares of the fall may come later but it was funny how a flash of Damian sowing alongside his mother warmed his heart more than even he would admit.


	4. Two boys clothed in a yellow cape

"You've got to be the most infuriating person on earth. Maybe worse than Bruce I think."

"Ouch."

"Oh, c'mon. You're this paradox of goofy happy and brooding Boy Wonder Batman clone."

"Yeah, that still hurts." Nightwing rubbed his chest as if he could extinguish the burning his current adversary was producing against him.

"I just call it like I see it. Always did."

"More like opened your fat mouth at the wrong times."

"Yeah, because you're such a shy and quiet guy."

"Is this why you showed up? So you could insult me over and over."

"Nope. It is just a perk really."

"Spit it out Hood. I don't have the time or patience for this right now."

"Too busy in your big boy britches?"

With that Nightwing sighed, running a hand through his hair. The heart-to-hearts with Jason Todd were never pleasant. They usually went along the line of how Dick was too perfect and irritating and how Jason got the shaft with the Joker. Dick had tried to talk sense to Jason when this first became a problem but now he just couldn't deal with it, didn't want to deal with it.

"Never too busy for you I guess." He grumbled then took on another angle. Passive aggression.

"What do you want? A full confession? Fine. Yeah, I'm just Batman's good little soldier boy. I resented you, still do a little I guess. Yep, really close with Red Robin and Robin. Batgirl and Oracle are cool too. I'm just all cozy with the adopted fam. What Jay, what else could we possibly talk about at this point in time we haven't beaten to d- I mean…we haven't discussed before?"

Dick had meant to get himself fired up and on a roll until that last slip and he felt like crap. Years later the very idea of Joker getting a hold on anyone of them and doing…what he did made Dick kind of sick. He hadn't been around and he hadn't known until some big mouth blurted it out at Titans Tower. Bruce hadn't bothered to tell him, to get a hold of him…

When Dick looked up he saw something pass over Jason's body like a shudder. He righted himself and stared him down. Nightwing could imagine Jason's eyes widen then narrow in a split second with rage.

"What's it like?"

"What?"

"You're the golden boy so you _must_ have an answer for me. What's it like to be a living breathing legend that it still approachable and see as even more perfect because you're not only an icon but still a man? Everyone loves you, trusts you, worships you. What's that like? Maybe you can enlighten me since I'm just a throw away to resent. Does the head really lay so heavy that wears the crown?"

"I'd say you're predictable but I'd say rather that I walked into that one."

"You started it."

"Mature."

"Hey, I'm younger and bitter I **get** to be immature."

"And I'd say you started it since you found me here."

"Yeah but you were a smart jackass to me first."

"Well….since that's your usual disposition I'll give you that." Dick sighed.

"We'll never be completely on the same side will we?" Jason whispered out of nowhere.

"I don't think our…_philosophies_ would allow it."

"Strange. Raised..er…trained by the same guy and we turned out completely different."

"We didn't exactly get the same experience." Nightwing finally caved and rested back against the fire escape they had found each other on.

Jason holstered a gun he had been playing with and removed his helmet, revealing another mask similar to Nightwing's. He took in the older man's posture and relaxed a bit himself.

"I got beat to death while you just got beat. Bruce saved you."

"Not because he didn't want to save you." Dick sighed.

Jason held up a hand to stop the conversation and change topics quickly. He hated how everything in his life revolved around the same thing, as if even in his new life he was completely dictated to by his old. Sure, it affected him but why couldn't he let go of it? Was it because no one else could either?

"That's an old song I'm not in the mood to sing tonight."

"That'd be a first." Nightwing almost grinned.

"We have a lot of parallels you know that?"

"Another deep philosophical conversation with Red Hood. Awesome." Dick shook his head and flicked a hunk of mud from his boot as he sat back on the railing of the fire escape.

"Its what I'm good at."

"If you say so." Dick held out a hand, tucking the other under his folded elbow. "But I'm listening."

"We were both…kids that didn't live in luxury. Bats saves us one way or another and we repay him by helping him as his partner. We were both naïve. You got Two Face and I got Joker. You got saved and lived. I didn't and died. He loses you to adulthood he loses me to…fate or whatever. We both come back and things aren't the same. Time goes on and we become who we are. You're next in line for the cowl and I'm not as bad as I was but still not all that great."

"You make it sound like we are who we are only based on those couple instances."

"Nah, just that those instances kinda highlighted who we always were and who we'd probably become."

"Alfred said 'mine were loving parents' once when I had had enough with Damian. I don't think this is all that different. You might be harder on yourself now than I ever was as Robin. I had two parents who raised me different but always loved me. I didn't have a house and a white picket fence but I had loving and dependable parents. Then…I had _him._ He was younger then, not so….you know."

Dick sighed, this sort of thing was always so draining. Jason apparently needed these conversations every now and then. He may have refused help from the family or association with them but he kept coming back to Dick for information on everyone and to vent about these things.

"And my parents were selfish fuck ups and then I got the bitter, paranoid, and hurt Bats. Yep that sounds about right."

"Quit with the cynicism. You wanted to talk about this and I'm talking. What is this all really about? You've been catching me all over the place the last few months to have these talks after you wanted nothing to do with any of us when I reached out."

"You invited me."

"And you threw that in my face."

"You were the one who said people could change."

"And I believe they can."

"So?"

"So what? It takes effort to change Jason. I don't believe you met me all these times just to shoot the breeze. You're a good marksman but talking about this stuff isn't usually your thing."

"Are any of us all that good at it? Even you?"

"Touché."

"You think I can change."

"I did, yeah."

"You don't anymore?"

"I don't know. It has a lot to do if you want to change and it seems to me that even though you want to you won't let yourself."

"Okay Freud."

"I'm just calling it like I see it." Dick did grin then, standing straight and reaching for a grapling gun.

"What? Over so soon?"

"I don't know about you but this has been an excruciating twenty minutes."

"Twenty-ONE minutes."

Dick chuckled as he turned and aimed to fire, but before he could Jason stepped closer and stared up into the sky.

"What was it like for you?"

"Being Robin or being his son?"

"No…death, the dark stuff."

"I never died."

"But you could have, almost did a bunch of times. What was it like for you?"

"I…don't…."

"Right. Not the time. Sorry."

"Did you just apologize?"

"Only because I know what it was like for me. Knowing the consequences, feeling how it did. I can definitely understand why you wouldn't want to talk about it."

"Hmmm….turns out I was right."

"You made what I said about you being right?"

"Only that people can change."

"That wasn't different. I always thought we were kinda similar. Sure Red may be His perfect poster child and the demon is his real kid but you and me? Well, its different. He let us in and really _let us in_. I might not have been ready but its still how it is."

"Right."

"Happy Hunting."

"Uh."

"What its what I would expect you to say to me."

"Yeah but I would be sarcastic and not hoping you would enjoy it."

"Like you don't."

"Oh no, I do, but I also don't exactly think of it like you."

"All the same, happy hunting."

"Thanks."

"No problem."

Nightwing eyed up his position again and shot the cable and secured it. He tugged it a moment before thinking to answer Jason's earlier question.

"It was dark all around but I could feel him right beside me, heard everything. I knew everyone was still fighting and that they would continue to after I was gone but it wouldn't be the same. It would be worse, harder somehow and then I felt guilty about that. The weirdest thing was that I wasn't completely upset about it being over. Sure, I wasn't happy but I figured it was past my time. I'd been lucky to that point I guess."

"Is this the Two Face thing or…?"

"Nah, that was different. I was ashamed that time. I thought I was going to get myself and Batman killed."

"So you thought you'd been lucky?"

"Yeah, I lived."

"Huh, call me a cynic…again….but I think I might have been the lucky one."

"That you died?"

"I didn't have to keep reliving the circumstance I guess."

Dick thought about that and found himself perplexed by Jason's words. Here, he had thought Jason needed these talks and maybe he still did but Dick did too. He understood Bruce like no other and he cherished Tim and Damian. Barbara would always be the love of his life (or at least one of them) and as for Steph and Cass, they were family too. However, Jason had made a good point. Bruce had let them in when he hadn't been so defined by the darkness and hopelessness he used to drive him.

"I only relive it to remind myself. In a way…I can't die."

"Please tell me you don't mean metaphorically. Like 'I will always live on in idealism' or some crap."

"Nope. I'm being completely literal. Not because of some bloated sense of importance but for practicality. I don't think he can lose another one of us and Gotham…the world can't lose him."

"He could lose one of the others but not you." Jason said, not bitter or angry, but calm and matter-of-factly.

"I don't know about that. Losing you nearly destroyed him."

"But it didn't cause him to pick up a gun and threaten to kill somebody."

Dick was shocked. He momentarily forgot him line as he stared at Jason.

"Who told you that?"

"You just did."

"How'd you…?"

"I just went to the worst extreme and you verified my assumption."

"You don't think he'd kill for you?"

"He hasn't. He didn't."

"He didn't kill Joker, but he did plenty of stupid stuff that could've gotten himself killed."

It was now Jason's turn to be perplexed. Nightwing sighed and took the moment of silence as his exit point. He gave a mock salute and hopped up on the railing to jump out, pulling down to toss himself gracefully upward onto a corresponding rooftop. He looked down at Jason and thought about his life had it been different. He thought about Jason differently as he considered how lives would have been changed had his own been cut short or if Jason had lived. He was a firm believer that things happened for a reason but reason seldom had anything to do with how people responded to said things. He took off into the night thinking again that Jason had said they were the most alike because of several things and had listed them. Dick found it funny that he had forgotten to mention the most obvious one.

_We're desperate to carry on his mission but in our own way. We won't be Batman._


	5. Broken: Fourth Wall

"Wait…they're WHAT!"

"Um….writing about us in a…um…well…."

He is actually at a loss for words so he simply slides the computer towards his mentor whom had also been speaking with his younger proteges. Dick Grayson had been digging into some rumors of obsessive vigilante fans when he stumbled upon what could only be described as porn-very very very very descriptive porn- with himself being an active player with various people within his circle of close friends and adoptive family. Upon reading several lines of what the fans call "fanfiction" he was bewildered and felt the need to draw everyone else's attention to it, considering they were all involved in one way or another.

"Holy…" Tim broke off as he read over Batman's shoulder.

"Yeah…..that's what I thought." Dick rubbed his forehead, even more disgusted that he was beginning to flush.

"So…their obsession goes…this far then?"

"We underestimated the strangeness of this case, huh, Bruce?"

Dick would've smirked if he didn't feel it was so ill timed. Quite frankly he felt all kinds of dirty and it was hard to even look at Alfred let alone Bruce, Tim, or even Damian. God only knows what would happen if Jason was around at this moment considering what fans had been coming up with about the first two Robins and -what can only be overly sexed imaginations- the world created where they would be so…?

In true Bruce fashion he was looking at this highly explicit content as research and evidence. With one hand positioned under his chin, elbow secured on the tabletop, and the other scrolling down the webpages Bruce seemed as composed with this intel as he would with security footage of a Seven Eleven. Dick was seriously considering taking some Aspirin and calling it a night because his mind just couldn't take in much more crazy.

"These vigilante enthusiast groups are becoming more specific and organized. They've popped up in the higher end areas of Gotham as well as the slums but also there has been some developments in Star City, Metropolis, and it goes on. Groups endearing themselves to the public as vigilante supporters who believe we have a right to personal lives and protection. However, their….understandings of us are based largely in subtext they believe exists and lore they have created."

Funny how Bruce nearly fell out of his chair while stating that last bit of his speech. He must've found a really good one with himself involved. That or…oh God Alfred. Dick himself had noted quite a few of the old Alfred/Bruce "pairings." The one that really freaked Dick out was the Dick/Damian match up just made him cringe. Not that the Bruce/Dick, Dick/Jason, Dick/Tim or the highly offensive Supes/Dick (because he loved Supes with a _strictly_ idolizing adoration that any person should have for the man!) weren't discomforting as well but the Dick/Damian was the worst. The kid was just that a KID! He was ten and God help him he couldn't figure out how that even came into anyone's mind to…to…insinuate what was said in some of these trashy texts.

"What is it father? It can surely not be as bad as Grayson has indicated." Damian spoke from across the room as he dismounted uneven bars.

Dick felt a little sick as the boy who had come to equally appreciate Dick and irritate Dick to the end of his limits walked towards them. Bruce uncomfortably shifted in his seat and cleared his throat while trying to distract Damian from the laptop's screen. Tim was reading and the longer it did the more ashen he looked. His eyes were wide and his face sickly pale.

"My God." Tim spoke in a pained voice.

"Please don't say that." Dick scrunched his eyes shut as he tried to force out the mental image that had been forced into his mind by one very creative author who believed Tim would be a "moaner" in bed.

Alfred came down with a silver tray of assorted finger foods and tea. Upon seeing his family's faces he thought it best to ask what was the matter. Maybe he could help?

"Masters Wayne, Dick, Timothy, can I help you with your problem?"

"Its….we got it Alfred." Dick tried not to think about one fiction that had Alfred dressed in nothing but a pinky lace apron, "servicing" them all.

"I assure you I can be-"

"NO!" They all went for the laptop as Alfred walked around to see what was the matter.

Tim had the good sense to slam the laptop shut, nearly catching Bruce's hand as he did do. They all looked guilty as sin and were completely red-faced.

"Look, Alfred, I think this latest case is wearing on us. We'll call it a night." Bruce.

"But its still early, you haven't even been out-"

"Really, Alfred, this one is…more complex than we initially expected." Tim.

"Incompetence." Damian muttered in his white tee shirt and black shorts, crossing his arms over his chest.

"We'll just….uh…goodnight!" Dick moved to usher Damian upstairs.

"Thanks, Alfred." Tim offered, frazzled as he politely took a small triangle sandwich from the silver tray so it wouldn't go to waste before he headed up after Dick and Damian.

"We'll continue this tomorrow Alfred. These….sick vigilante enthusiasts will be handled." Bruce spoke darkly as he pushed away from the steel medical table they had all been working at while tending to minor cuts and bruises from earlier that night.

"Yes…they have caused a great deal of upset with riots in the streets and such. Eventhough they appear to be in your favor, sir, they must be contained I suppose."

Bruce couldn't speak about the matter anymore. He was exhausted and it wasn't as though he was stumped but so mortified by Dick's findings that his brain simply refused to compute. He nodded to his butler and headed upstairs to shower and hopefully sleep, but it wouldn't be easy. He only knew what his sleep would be like this night. What the dreams….no _**nightmares**_ would be like.

Alfred watched his employer and ward of sorts ascend the stairs and allowed his own curiosity to grab him as he sat his tray down on the table. He looked around as if being watched and then pushed the lip up on the computer. He unlocked the screen and read down. Eyes wide he sputtered for a moment before closing it again and stepping back.

"My word." He breathed, hot faced, and rushed to grab his tray and head upstairs.

-Fin-

This is a poke at the world of fandom Plus I kinda stole this idea from SPN because they did a whole episode like this and while I was reading one fic I wondered (like any good geek who wants our beloved heroes to exist) "Wtf would Bruce think? Oh, no, Dick why! Whoa, Tim, you're naughty in fics, what is with you?" I enjoy some yaoi/slash every now and then and there are some good ones but its still funny.


	6. Damian's Way

There were many things Damian Wayne hated. Sometimes the list seemed endless. However, there were very few things he liked let alone loved. Damian compartmentalized everything in his early years into simple, efficient categories based on very simple definitions. He hated things because they were illogical, idiotic, and so on. He decided he loved things in very much the same way. He loved something or someone based on one experience he had had as a very small child.

In one particular training exercise, Ra's had systematically gone through several scenarios to assess Damian's skills and motivations. He saw many characteristics becoming of a member of his assassins' group but also what he deemed "detective driven qualities." Damian hated watching people harmed but he learned that death was a part of life and even more so for his life. Although, Damian understood this, upon this idea Ra's found Damian incapable of allowing harm to come to his mother at a very young age. Damian was willing to die, even in a daily training exercise, if he thought his mother was harmed or threatened. Damian needed to be conditioned against this weak movement towards sympathy and cowardice….Ra's almost succeeded.

Years later, upon arrival in Gotham and Wayne Manor Damian still held many of his conditioned ideas in one form or another. Unfortunately, circumstances would keep his biological father from being the one to urge him to open-mindedness and one Richard Grayson would be his mentor. Dick would teach Damian many things in their short time together as partners, Batman and Robin, but the lessons that truly stuck were those Dick taught through precedence, through his own immediate actions.

Damian remembered asking his mentor many things but some conversations stuck in his mind with far stronger conviction. He was very much out of his element as Robin at first and felt it humiliating to never know what was the right thing to do by Batman (Bruce Wayne) and Dick Grayson's opinion. On more than one occasion he would become so internally frustrated that he would break down and finally inquire as to a specific issue's solution that seemed to evade him.

"Grayson!" He spouted, coming down to the cave after a long day of school.

"Yes, Damian." Grayson had sighed and turned to him from his place at the computer console.

"Why must your neanderthal friends visit us this evening?"

"Ah, you must mean Roy and Wally." Dick had grinned and spun back around in his chair.

""I simply need clarity as to why their presence is necessary."

"Its not for patrol if that's what you mean. They're just coming to hang out."

"As if you would need their partnership out on the city. I didn't mean to insinuate that I feared for my position. I know full well I am perfectly capable."

"Yes, Damian, I know."

"I simply don't understand what it is that you find necessary in their being here."

"They're family Damian."

"They most certainly are not by my standers but we both know your logic is flawed so I suppose they are by yours."

"Why Thank you Damian. I love you too." Dick rolled his eyes, smirking as he checked over a few files he thought Roy might be interested in.

"Tt, love, obsurd."

"I forgot, you don't do 'inconvenient emotions.' My bad." Dick stared at the computer screen but was still aware of Damian's movements as he stepped closer and surveyed his teacher and, arguably, his only friend and confidant.

"I just think it is ridiculous how you throw the word around for nearly everyone you met. You clearly have an attention-seeking problem."

"Not the first time I've heard that one."

"Tt."

"What is it?" Dick knew there was more to this conversation.

"How is it you determine if you love someone?"

"Huh….well….I guess you put someone before yourself. They are more important than your own well being."

This answer was sufficient for Damian because it fell in line with his own direct definition of the sentiment. Once again, the depth in which Dick thought secretly impressed him while still he maintained his easygoing way. He crossed his arms and stood beside Dick now, glancing out of the corner of his eyes to once again watch his comrade.

"You love this so called 'family' you have within the old Titans?"

"Ouch, Damian. Way to make me feel like a grandpa."

"Answer the question Grayson."

"Yeah, Damian, I do."

"You would….die for them?"

At this question, Dick paused his hands at the keyboard and swiveled to look Damian straight on. He pulled his hands into his lap and leaned forward, gauging where this conversation was going. He simply nodded and glanced at the clock about the large monitor.

"Even though they would go to hell itself if they thought they could keep me from doing it? Yeah, I would die for them. If there was nothing else I could do or if I had the choice between myself and them, yeah."

Damian seemed to take a minute to think on that answer before continuing his train of thought aloud.

"All of the Titans?"

"Yes, we're a team. They're my sec-I mean third family I guess you could say. Losing any of them would….be pretty hard." Dick hadn't been prepared for this conversation and even though things had been pretty quiet lately the topic still brought up some hard to deal with memories.

"I see."

"What's the matter?"

"Would you die for league members?" Damian asked quickly.

"Justice League? Damian what is this about?"

"Answers Grayson. I would just like to know the level of your commitment." Damian quickly answered with what could be defined as a small half truth. He wanted to know Dick's level of self-sacrifice to note never to let anything happen to the people Dick would throw himself in front of the metaphorical train for.

"If it was for the greater good and I was the only one who could prevent something from happening. If losing me meant Superman had more time or Bat-I mean…another leaguer could save the world, sure I would."

"You almost said Batman."

"Yes."

"You would die for my father….had he not already died?"

Dick had to smile at that one. It was a said but confident smile. He had had this type of conversation one too many times with one Bruce Wayne. Usually this sort of thing caused them to come to blows with one another. It was amazing how, even without much intervention on Bruce's part, Damian could be such a miniture.

"Without a doubt." He had told Bruce that in the exact words once.

"You seem to find that amusing." Damian replied smugly.

"Its just you're asking about all these people and I'd like to think it'll never come to that but I'm not stupid enough, after all that I've done in my life, to think its entirely impossible. I guess the strangest part is none of the people you're mentioning would ever want me to do something like that."

"Of course not, I'm sure they feel the same way about you as you do for them." Damian replied matter of factly.

Dick was taken back by Damian's assertion but he smiled and nodded. He knew what the younger said was true. He would die for any number of his friends and family if necessary. He hated that the idea wasn't completely unrealistic but he knew where he stood on the matter. He also thought knew now where Damian was going with all this.

"If you're concerned Damian, you know I wouldn't let anything happen to you either. I'd d-"

Damian raised a hand to cut off Dick from finishing what Damian thought was an unnecessary thought.

"I know, Grayson."

"Good." Was Dick's only reply.

Dick was right, he had known the larger issue at hand that concerned Damian. Damian needed to trust him and be sure they were on the same page. However, Dick also hadn't understood that Damian was replying with agreement for his own welfare. Damian would die for him as well. Damian hated many things in life. He hated things he couldn't change, things he didn't understand, but he loved very few things. Although those few things balanced what he hated because what he loved was important. Despite how things were and are with his mother he loved her. He loved his father and Pennyworth and above all he would never admit but it was true he loved one Richard Grayson. Dick may be idiotic sometimes or make little to no sense but it was of little consequence. Dick was the one person who was as loyal to him as Damian was in return.

"What else is it?" Dick could tell there was more.

"I assume you would die for Drake as well?"

"Well, he _is_ family Damian." Dick had to chuckle.

"For you maybe."

"Damian." Dick cautioned.

"I had already assumed your self sacrificial nature to apply to Pennyworth, Brown, Cain, and Oracle but Drake, if he is correct in his opinion of himself, he should be able to handle himself just fine."

"Yes, Damian, I know, but that's not what you asked."

"Tt."

Dick laughed as he stood and stretched after a couples hours in front of the computer. He passed Damian and headed upstairs for a snack at Alfred's request. Damian trailed behind, muttering under his breath. As Dick was someone he loved, Tim Drake was one he hated, but he couldn't completely disregard him. He was important to others, but Damian could fantasize all he wanted.


	7. Determined and Disaster

-Determination and Disaster-

"You waste all Grayson's time with your worthless drabble you sycophant." Damian Wayne, dressed in Under Armor, spouted.

"How can I waste his time with what I have to say when you cut me off every five seconds?" Tim Drake, also dressed to train and workout, bellowed back.

"Because your very presence is a waste, Drake!" Damian growled as they tumbled on the floor mat, grappling for dominance.

"Funny, coming from the demon child who thinks he's the center of the universe!" Tim dug deep with that insult as he was rolled onto his back and felt a small elbow jab into _his_ abdomen.

"Grayson is busy!"

"Yeah! Helping me with a case!"

"Because you are incompetent to deal with it yourself."

"More like it involves one he is working on too!"

"BOYS! Boys that's enough!" Alfred almost pleaded as he came in and followed them around as they wrestled like angry parents for a toy on Black Friday.

"Hey Alf I was wondering-" Dick Grayson came past, rolling up his dress shirt sleeves when he saw Damian and Tim mangled together on the floor, Alfred trying to neatly part them.

"Hey, what's going on here?" He sauntered in, smirking.

"Get OFF me!" Tim finally huffed as he kicked Damian away and got to his feet. He adjusted his white tank top and rolled his shoulders. "Hi, Dick."

"Hey, Tim. I didn't know you were coming."

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry I just figured this couldn't wait. It's about what we talked about on the phone. I have a few things for you to look at." He purposely spoke in vague phrases to exclude an already eavesdropping Damian.

"Alright. Just come with me down to the cave. I think Bruce is done on the computer so we'll be able to work freely."

Damian followed them downstairs despite Tim's rude glances and Dick's nonchalance with his presence. Damian was determined to ensure Grayson's time wasn't further wasted by outlandish theories Drake threw together on a fantastical whim. Grayson already had a wild imagination without Drake encouraging him. They might even decide to go on patrol together tonight if Damian wasn't there otherwise.

"Good work, Tim. This really does fit everything together. It's bigger than I thought. I might need your help on this one. You mind?" Dick asked as he stared up at the large monitor moments later, hand under his chin as he stood behind Tim at the desk.

"Not at all, I was hoping to ask you for help actually. We need to nip this in the bud."

"All right then. I'll suit up and we'll-"

"And what am _I_ suppose to do? Father is working with the Justice League and it is a patrol night. He called you in to replace him in Gotham this evening and you're following after Drake on his little mission of failure?"

"Well, actually, I was going to say 'suit up and we'll handle patrol tonight after we take this mission'. You can have a night off Dami."

"Absolutely not. I won't allow myself to become soft or lacking in discipline for any reason. We will simply finish Drake's case faster with three rather than two. Patrol is necessary whether Batman is in attendance or not." The smallest and, arguably, the fiercest Wayne informed.

"Fine." Dick sighed, already walking towards his costume. "We'll all go. Just means a longer patrol night. You guys good with that?"

Tim and Damian glared at each other from their spots on opposite ends of the cave. Tim stood from his chair and walked up behind Dick, a physical show of their closeness.

"Of course. You're the leader." Tim agreed.

"I have trained myself for far worse than sleep deprivation, Grayson. I will be fine." Damian uncrossed his arms and marched away to change.

Meanwhile, just two hours later Nightwing came storming back into the mansion, pealing off his suit as he came into the cave and stomping around like he was Zitka herself. Alfred was coming down the stairs with tea when the younger two joined him, yelling at each other…again.

"Drake's incompetence cost us a small time petty theif!"

"You were in my way. Dick said maneuver SEVEN not EIGHT! They're COMPLETELY different."

The volume of the arguing was growing by the second as Alfred watched the younger boys shake hands and fists at each other and Dick discard his Nightwing persona. Dick had just peeled his mask from his face when he whirled around on his heels to face them and shouted like Batman himself.

"ENOUGH! I've had it! All night it has been like this and you're driving me nuts!" His voice boomed as he marched up to them. They moved to allow him space to stand between them.

"Its like you _want_ me to take a voluntary dive off a building. Sheesh, what's gotten into you two?"

Dick finally let his temper dissipate and he fell back easily against the wall. Alfred came to set the tray of refreshments on the small table beside the boys and looked over the situation. By the flushed, angry looks Tim and Damian had fashioned, and their clear embarrassment they both shared now, it was obvious. They had been competing. One of them was Dick's true partner while the other, well, was the understudy and they had wanted to know who was who by proving themselves. Too bad it had ended with telltale signs of Master Grayson's nerves being shot and an even more adamant desire to work solo. Dick's temper was nearly infamous and it was boiling over now.

"Might I speak with Master Dick alone, gentlemen?" Alfred asked, more like demanded.

"Sure, of course Alfred."

"Yes, Pennyworth."

Both left, mumbling to each other as they ascended the stairs. A dim light filtered into the cave as they opened the door to the stairs and into the home. Once the darkness had fully returned Alfred began.

"It seems the young masters are confused."

"Them? I dunno, Alfie, I'm pretty confused myself. I mean, what has gotten into the two of them. We haven't seen each other in weeks and when we do they do this? It's like they want me to lose my marbles."

"Or perhaps they don't wish to share you."

"What?"

"You said it yourself, Master Richard. It's been weeks. With Master Bruce having returned as Batman, young Damian struggles with his old role but with a far different tempered partner, while Tim is still adjusting to the idea that Red Robin will be his permanent persona. His Nightwing if you will. They've both, in their own way, been alone as of late and now that they get to see you it is…finite."

"Well…it's the gig Alf. I….ugh…okay yeah…its been too long. I came in to help Bruce with a few things…felt we needed to talk about…some things and it was like I got bombarded all at once. Damian doesn't talk much but I can tell when he wants something and Tim's the same he just usually opens up to me more. They've been arguing so much lately I just…I avoided them I guess."

"Precisely why they are so determined. It appears they blame each other for your attitude towards them. It is either because one takes your time from the other or makes you distasteful of spending time with them all together. I suppose you should explain yourself so as to avoid further disgruntlement."

"You're a gem, Alfie." Dick smiled as he combed his hair out of his eyes. "You give me the lecture of my life without so much as an insulting word."

"Yes, well its come with a great deal of practice Master Dick."

"Bruce, huh?"

"As well as yourself and countless others by now." Alfred almost grinned.

"Okay, Alfred, I'll head up and smooth things over."

"Well done, sir."

"Thanks Alfred." Dick rested a hand on the older man's shoulder and beamed.

He headed upstairs to talk to both younger brothers. He should've known and paid attention more but he hadn't. He needed them to know he loved and cared about them both. He would be there for them both despite distance or them not really working together regularly anymore. Damian seemed more upset about it because he never really depended on people and he had grown to truly and fully trust Dick while Tim suffered because Dick had already chosen Damian over him once before and what kept that from happening again?

The truly frightening part was that the older Dick got the more he felt like Bruce. Not the stoic, stern Batman but the earlier version. He was overwhelmed and worried for his younger partners but still wanted to do his job independently while still appreciating their assistance. It wasn't the first time he was able to easily place himself in Bruce's place (whether literally or metaphorically) but it was also not the last. He figured he'd never get use to these 'ah ha moments' of revelation that told him that even if he never stepped into Bruce's boots again and looked out at Gotham from behind Batman's cowl he still understood far too well what it was like to be The Dark Knight. However, he knew what it was like to be the civilian counterpart.

As he took the stairs and readied himself to smooth things over with Tim and Damian he spotted a photo on the hallway way of himself and Bruce when he had first come to live at Wayne Manor. He had looked up to Bruce and wanted so desperately to be included in whatever he was doing and be important, irreplaceable. He smiled at the memory and he knew then how he would handle this problem that had arisen.

"Hey, guys, c'mon. I'm thinkin' a burger downtown would be great about now."

"Now? It's nearly 3 a.m.?" Tim raised his brows, now in a plain white tee shirt and black sweatpants.

"Yeah, I know, but Gotham's like New York like that. Never sleeps and all that." Dick grinned as he came up behind them in the kitchen and playfully pushed Damian out of the way.

"Your manners, as well as your eating habits, are absurd Grayson."

"Can take the boy out of the circus remember?" Dick winked and walked around the bar table to face both of them.

"C'mon, we won't be gone long and it was a slow patrol night anyhow. We made a lot of headway with the case, Tim. Know when you relax."

"Says Mr. I'll-do-everything?" Tim shot back with a knowing expression.

"Hey, this is me easing up on myself. I'm starving and I'm not getting Alfred to cook anything big at this hour. Plus, I need a ride to cool down. We'll take the Jag?" He coaxed, wiggling his brows.

"Okay, fine."

"As if bribery is a sufficient diplomatic tactic." Damian murmured, despite having a normal ten-year-old boy's response to the notion of riding in a fast muscle car.

"Okay, Tim drives. I call backseat." Dick tossed Tim the keys and headed downstairs to the garage.

Once downtown in the quaint dive bar Dick sat across from both of them, finishing off his burger with ease. He picked at his teeth for a second with a toothpick then rested back in his chair, propping his feet on the table's legs. Damian was staring at his food like it was still living and Tim had made a modest attempt at eating the grease blob in front of him.

"This has GOT to stop." Dick finally sighed. "I don't want to be Bruce, I don't want you guys not knowing what's going on with me or questioning where you stand. I'll take responsibility for tonight because I should've been clear. Damian we can't be together on every mission anymore because that's not how it is but that doesn't mean I don't want or enjoy working with you, I'm honored too in fact. Tim we've been brothers for years now and I know I should've dealt with the whole Robin/Red Robin thing differently but despite what you thought about yourself before, about not being a hero just Robin, you _are _a full fledged hero in your own right. I'm happy to work with you whenever I can and I'm sorry if you think I chose Damian over you because of anything but it being the right thing to do. You didn't need me to guide you along, but I guess I should've known you needed me in other ways." Dick finally sat forward, hands clasped in front of him on the table.

Damian and Tim both looked astonished but slowly they took his words and allowed them to settle. Tim was first to signal his approval with a simple nod while Damian simply –Tt- and looked away from them. Despite a lousy start the night had ended in a small but substantial victory.


	8. Abdication

Abdication

Ten years after I lost my parents I stand in court to face the judge. It isn't how you think though, I'm a lawyer. Some burglar in a dark alley didn't kill my parents, it's a lot more complicated than that. My dad is Tommy Tevis, a mob guy from the outskirts of Bludhaven and if you know who he is you probably know being his daughter makes me Sophia Tevis, however it became beneficial that I legally change my name after high school. I go by Sophia Grace Crue now. Sentimental but my name is a little nod to the guy who saved my life years ago. That guy was Dick Grayson, or as we called him, Crutches. Grayson-Grace, Crutches-Crue, its silly now but at eighteen I thought it was both clever and romantic since I still carried a torch the size of the burning bush for the guy. Dad trusted him with everything and even though Crutches was undercover he always made sure me and my family were safe while we were under his watch, which is more than I could say for "Uncle" Ray.

Tensions were high when my Dad started looking into expansion in the "business" and Black Mask became involved. Dad was able to trust less and less people then and he started getting a bit paranoid, even if his suspicions were in fact make a long and complicated story short things went south when he had some sketchy help when the usual muscle was out of town and the cops busted in on family dinner one night. I panicked and ran, my mother was killed when shots were fired, and things were never the same after that. It was a lot of chaos and crazy and my dad ended up in jail. He's still there now, which brings me to the present yet again. I'm here on my father's behalf to argue for parole or early release due to good behavior.

"_If you stay with Amy and her family you could attend Brentwood Academy. I've heard it's an excellent school." (Nightwing Renegade: Fix You)_

Turns out Dick was right, Brentwood is a great school. I thrived in academics once I was away from the family business and I had nothing else to focus on but my future. Considering how much faith Crutches had in me I figured I should really make something of myself, hence being a lawyer. I'd like to think I'm a pretty damn good one too, considering I just won this one.

"Thank you, Your Honor." _Good job, Soph._ I can hear Crutches as if he were right by my side and that's when I realize I hadn't imagined it.

"Crutches?" I turn to face him. He looked older, as he should since it's been ten years but he's still quite attractive.

"Hiya, Soph. Congratulations on your case. I was just talking to your Dad. He couldn't be happier."

"Yeah, only a few more months in prison."

"Not what I meant. He's just so proud of you."

"Oh." Damn it, I think I'm blushing.

"Do you have some time? I'd love to get coffee or something and maybe catch up."

"I'd love that too, but actually I can't. I have another trial tomorrow to prepare for and a meeting shortly. Are you in town long?"

"Unfortunately, no, I just happened to be around for business this week and knew Tommy's hearing was this week."

"So…you stayed longer to come see?"

"Of course, Soph. Regardless how things between your dad and me went he's a good guy and he treated me like family. Of all people I should be able to understand good people doing bad things, imperfection is human." He shrugs as if that deep wisdom was easy to come by and we both know it isn't.

We briefly hug before he waves goodbye as he leaves. I sigh and pack up my briefcase. I nod over to the guards taking my dad and smile as he beams a smile at me first. I'm a Tevis but I'm not involved in the family business, at least not anymore. I was able to make a completely different life for myself because someone took a deep interest in me with no regard for himself. Do I still have a thing for the guy? More like a soft spot. I adore the man for what he does and what he's done for me. He's a hero in every sense of the word. I couldn't be happier that people like him exist, even if they come few and far between.


	9. Sparks Fly

Sparks Fly

"You stood there in front of me just….close enough to touch…" Dick Grayson sings along as he's driven down the road towards Wayne Manor by Tim Drake.

"You like Taylor Swift?"

"What? NO!" Dick blurted in a sad excuse for a defense. He always was a terrible liar.

"You know, when I agreed to car pull with you I didn't exactly sign up for this." Tim teased.

"I just like this song! I'm in the car a lot or patrolling by myself so I listen to the radio all the time."

"And you listen to this stuff?"

"Sorry, Tim, I'm not an intellectual like you who listens to Bach in my spare time."

"C'mon, I listen to mainstream music."

"The fact that you call it 'mainstream' says different." Dick grinned as he rested his arm on the edge of the open window and let his lengthening hair blow in the evening breeze.

"What's worse? Bach or Swift?" Tim spat back.

"It's not like I go out of my way to listen to this. She's popular and she's on practically every station sometimes."

"So…what…you listen to _country_ now?"

"Sometimes."

"And mainstream pop?"

"Hey, that Gotye is pretty interesting."

"Who?" 

"Adele?"

"That's a singer?"

"Oh, Tim, you're killin' me here. That's it, you're in serious need of an intervention."

"From good, classical music to listen to this junk?"

Dick smirked knowingly and leaned forward to change the station. Instantly Tim knew the tune and it was anything but Bach or Mozart. The strong bass and blaring electric guitar filled him with familiarity and made him think of his father and home, simpler times. A small smile tugged at his lips as he looked forward and refocused his attention on the road ahead.

"Point made. I know this song very well thank you. _AC/DC_'s 1979 Album's title song _Highway to Hell._"

"And this to some people is 'junk' but what is it to you?"

"…not junk."

"Uh huh, and why is that Tim?"

"A sentimental connection from the past perfectly preserved in music by sensory memory?"

"Sheesh, yeah, but lamens terms you nerdball."

"It makes me think of something important to me."

"Bingo! Give the kid a prize."

"Okay, okay, so…music is music I got it, but really? Taylor Swift?"

"She's cute."

"Please."

"Okay, it's worse than that but I already know the song by heart isn't that bad enough?"

"Than the _**real**_ reason you like it? Probably not."

"Okay, okay, Barbara likes this song. She plays it all the time and when I really listened to it…well…."

Tim's only response was to roll his eyes as he turned left onto the back road that would begin the long way up to the manor.

"What can I say? I'm a hopeless romantic and Barb _does_ have green eyes."

"We can stop talking about this now." Tim replied dryly. 

"Whatever, little brother." Dick turned up the radio in time to hear Bon Scott wail before he slouched back in his chair once again and rested his folded arms behind him.


	10. Alternates

Alternates

"So…I was reading this comic book…."

"Rotting your mind again with that drivel." Bruce made the statement, not the question.

"Well, actually Bruce, some people read for _pleasure_. You should try it sometime. Anyway, I was reading this comic about Spiderman and its where he decides to publicly announce his secret identity to help Iron Man and the government to-"

"Get to the point, Dick."

"Okay, okay, I can see I'm pushing your good _humor_ already. In short, the government makes it law for metas and vigilantes to register with the government, but also meta baddies and all that because of a horrible tragedy involving masked peoples. It got me to thinking how it would really work."

"What's that?"

"Registration. If we were all 'asked' by the government and a few noteworthy allies to register what that would be like, how it would happen, who would be on what side."

"As in civil war amongst the world's greatest heroes?"

"Funny how you almost perfectly quoted the comic's tagline." Dick smirked as he crossed his arms and despite his mask Bruce knew very well what Dick's full expression was conveying.

"Research, Nightwing."

"Uh huh."

"It is an interesting notion. For some I feel the decision would be fairly easy, while others would struggle. Some might even surprise us as to what side they would choose."

"Us? You're pretty sure where I'd stand, huh?"

"As you probably have already surmised what my stance would be."

"Yeah." Dick sighed almost exhaustedly but with a smile as he leaned over Batman's shoulder for a better view of the large computer in front of them.

"Was this bothering you?"

"No, I pretty much know what would happen but still it's just guessing and assumptions."

"You feel many of your friends would register?"

"A few, yeah, but most of them would have to be in a specific situation to enlist with Uncle Sam."

"It would bother you." Another statement Bruce was sure of whether he was in the guise of Batman or his other self.

"I think so yeah. I mean, I guess I saw myself as Spiderman in the whole mess."

"One who was so certain of his position while not certain at all and eventually overturns his loyalty to the other side."

"Yeah, both sides had a pretty logical and strong background for what they chose."

"The greater good or personal?"

"No, their stance on how to protect people."

"Yes, very true. Do you….fear you would follow me in the path I chose and later regret it?" Bruce's weighted question hit too close to home for both of them and as his voice shifted from Batman's to Bruce's, Nightwing knew he had to answer as a son, a family member.

"No, I was kind of thinking the other way around. I was a little concerned I choose the opposite side just to spite you or something. I've gone the other way Bruce. I've tried to single-handedly control everything in Bludhaven and royally screwed up. I'd want to be held accountable by someone or something other than my friends and self to remain objective."

"But then you would choose liberty?"

"Probably, yes….because….well there's nothing you do without a good reason. I might not always agree but if you chose a side I'd have to seriously assess why."

"Harper has been a government ally, Wally is already a very public figure, and Donna is a well-known ambassador for her people, as well as several other of our allies. What would you do if Superman backed the registration?"

"I'd have to learn to understand his position when I think I already did and he'd have to understand mine. I would just hate to have to go toe to toe with him."

"Yes."

"But, luckily for me I'm sure you already have a contingency plan for something like that." Dick waved off the weighty subject with a lighthearted gesture and a sigh.

Bruce was thoroughly in his Batman guise now. He simply signaled a few commands on his keyboard and refocused on his earlier research for the case he was currently enlisting Nightwing's help with.

"And for the record, I can see the parallels of your likeness to Peter Parker."

"My great fashion sense, quick wit, and acrobatic excellence?"

"Yes….that amongst other things." Batman replied dryly as he spun his chair around and stood, signaling that Nightwing was to follow and the night of patrolling would begin.

As they made their way to the Batmobile, Batman's thoughts were elsewhere. He remembered vividly his quick read through of the Civil War story arc. He was fascinated by the trajectory of the story and finding he knew where he would stand while still struggling to uphold his position. Where many compared the fictional Captain America to his reality's Superman, Batman felt it would be unlikely that Superman would stand against the world he was sent to protect. He would be this reality's Tony Stark.

That line of thought was inconsequential because it was irrelevant. However, Batman remained fixated on the parallels between one Dick Grayson/Nightwing and Peter Parker/Spiderman. The sadder comparison was the loss of parents and untapped potential as a youth, but then there were far greater similarities as far as personality goes. Peter Parker was a highly intellect young man would struggled with his choices but knew right and wrong and worked strictly that power came hand-in-hand with responsibility. Also, he was highly involved with a sharp, strong redhead who knew all his secrets and protected his friends with a bear'' fierceness. He was a young man who worked with the world's mightest heroes and held his own while still being genuine enough to idolize them.

Dick had put himself, rightly so, in Spiderman's position because it was obvious. Dick Grayson would follow a close friend and ally into war despite risk to his own person but once others were involved that he loved and who were innocent he would speak truth to power and take on the world to right it. The boy was a damn saint.

"What are you smirking about?" Nightwing questioned as he sat beside Batman in the Batmobile.

"Simply a trick of light, Nightwing." He closed the overhead door and opened the cave to leave.


End file.
